Jurors still deliberating in Angela Webb case

Friday

Nov 30, 2018 at 11:39 AM

CANTON Jurors began deliberating Friday morning in the trial of a Bethlehem Township woman accused of attempting to kill her husband.

The jury heard spirited closing arguments Thursday in Stark County Common Pleas Court before returning about 9 a.m. Friday to decide the fate of Angela Webb, who is charged with attempted murder and felonious assault in the Jan. 19 shooting of her husband, Anthony Webb.

The state contends Webb was not in imminent danger when she shot her husband, Anthony, multiple times at their Hudson Avenue SW home.

Webb could have retreated but instead escalated the situation, said Daniel Petricini, an assistant Stark County prosecutor.

"She could have de-escalated things but she kept going," he said on Thursday. "She didn't care. She wanted him dead."

"Even if you're convinced she did believe she was in danger that day, was this the only thing she could have done?" Petricini asked.

Defense attorney Laura Mills told jurors the defendant went home to pick up some items with the intent of leaving her husband of roughly 13 years. Earlier that day, Angela Webb had gone to the Navarre Police Department to file a domestic violence report against him.

Prosecutors have suggested that was done for a "future purpose," emphasizing she rejected offers from authorities for further assistance, including a sheriff's deputy escort to her home. The intent of returning to the house was to kill her husband, prosecutors contend.

But Mills was adamant prosecutors failed to prove Webb is guilty beyond a reasonable doubt of attempted murder and felonious assault. And even if jurors believed the defendant knowingly tried to fatally shoot her husband, she did it in self-defense, Mills maintained.

"The abuser controls the situation," she said.

Later during closing, Mills added, Angela Webb "was never the aggressor."

Previous testimony

Earlier this week, Anthony Webb testified he had been in a coma for two weeks due to his extensive gunshot injuries. He said he's still dealing with lingering medical issues, including a hole in his stomach that will require surgery next month.

The 46-year-old man described the events leading to the shooting, saying his wife had been agitated and resentful when she pointed a gun at him and told him he was going to die.

Angela Webb testified she feared for her life and was a battered woman. The 39-year-old woman said she shot her husband in self defense.

Testimony included a struggle over a 9mm gun. Prosecutors said the husband could have shot his wife with the gun but didn't. Defense attorneys said Angela Webb shot her husband in the elbow in an attempt to stop him.

Nicodemo, however, said she ended up shooting him with another gun "to finish the job."

Mills told jurors Webb's husband had chased the defendant with a gun.

Prosecutors said that many of the defendant's statements not only changed over the course of the case but also couldn't be corroborated. Nicodemo noted the defendant put two guns in her pockets well ahead of any physical confrontation with her husband that day.